Conduit-threading device.



TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EEANK CRAWFORD, or PAsADENA, CALIFORNIA, 'AssIoNoIa EY DIRECT ANDIvIEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, r.ro CoNDUI'r 'IHEEADINC DEVICE COMPANY, orPAsADENA, CALI- ECENIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

CONDUIT-TI-IREADING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Application filed .April 15, 1909. Serial No. 490,196.

To all whom it may concern) Be it known that LFRANK citizen of theUnited States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles andState of California, haveinvented a new and useful Conduit-ThreadingDevice, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means to facilitate thepassing oflwires through underground conduits in streets and elsewherewhere telephone and other electric wires are to be placed.

The invention is designed for use in any situation where electric cablesor wires or other devices are required to be passed through pipes orconduits of any kind.`

ln this invention the means depended upon for drawing the cable or otherdevice through the underground conduit or other pipe, 1s a wire that mayhe coiled but yet is of suiiicient stiffness to be forced through asection of underground conduit or other pipe through which the cable orother device is to be drawn; the stiffness of the wire being such as toprevent the wire from kinking inside the conduit under any endwisepressure that may be necessary to force it through the conduit.

Further objects of the invention are convenience of transportation, easeand speed of setting' up the apparatus at the nian-hole through whichthe cables are to be drawn, and speed in forcing the threading wirethrough the conduit in one direction to receive the end of the cable orother device to be drawn through the conduit, and speed in drawing thecable or other device through the conduit. Also to so construct the mafchine that as soon as the cable has been drawn through the conduit themachine is ready for another operation or for immediate removal toanother man-hole without the loss of time.

The invention may be carried out in various ways, and l shallillustratethe saine in the best forni in which I at present contemplateembodying the invention.

The accompanying, drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmental elevation of the apparatus in position forinserting a wire through a subterranean conduit which is shown insection. Dotted lines indicate the position of parts when the apparatusis CRAWFORD, a

ready to be trundled. away. The view is taken from line m1, Fig. 2,looking toward the right. Fig. 2 is an elevation from the arrow 2 at theright of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the slotted spokesform* ing a radial way for the coils of wire that are to be threadedthrough the conduit. Fig. A is a fragniental plan in section on line m4,Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on line m5, Figs. 3 and' 4t, another spokebeing `also shown. Fig. 6 is a plan section on line Figs. 1

`and 2. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail of the guide-clamp shown at thebottoni of Fig.

2. m7, Fig. 8 indicates the line of section. Fig. 8 is a detail of theguide-clamp viewed from the arrow 8 in Fig. 7, the screw-crank beingturned. Fig. 9 is a section on line av, Fig. 7. Arrows on thesection-lines indicate the direction of sight in the different views.Fig. 10, Sheet 1, is a sectional view of the outer end of the slottedspoke after it has passed the shoe and the wireholding pin has returnedto wire-retaining position.

1 designates a reel having slotted spokes 2, the slots 3 ofwhich extendin a common plane at right angles to the axis l of the reel, which axisextends through a hub 5 and is journaled in bearings 6, 7, 8, that aremounted on a frame composed of two bents 9 and 10, each of which is madeof angle iron and terminates in two legs shown at 11, 12, and 13, 14.The two bents are fastened together by stays 15, 16, 17 and 18. Thebottom stays 16 and 18 are connected by stays 19 and 20 which are spacedapart to allow the threading-wire 21 and the tubular wire-feeding guide22 to pass from the reel to the mouth of the conduit 23. Thethreading-wire is coiled on the reel inside the slots 3, and is fastenedat one end by a clamp` screw 24 to one of the spokes. The free end-ofthe wire is provided with a knob 25 in order that the same will passfreely through the conduit 23. V

The feeding guide 22 is to prevent the wire from buckling between theconduit and the reel, and may be of 1any suitable material, as a wirecoil 26 with o r without a sheath 27 of rubber', leather, or othermaterial. A flexible metal hose will well serve the purpose.` The upperend of said guide is fastened to supports 28, 29, that rigidly holdstationary shoes 30 and 31 which stand aslant at'one side of the reelshown in Fig. 2.

The shoe 31 forms the unreeling guide and is provided with a slantingperforation 32 through which the wire passes from the Vreel downwardinto the feeding guide 22. Each of the slotted spokes 2 is provided onone side with a limb 33 that forms one wall of the slot, the other wallof the slot being formed by a portion 34 that projects beyond the mainbody of the spoke. The limbs 33 of the several spokes are connected by atire 35v which is fastened to the limbs 33 by rivets 36 passed throughlugs 37 at the ends of the limbs 33. Said tire runs in a way 35 thatextends across the upper end of the portion 34. The portion 34 of thespoke projects outwardly beyond the tire 35 and is provided with atransverse hole 38, through which a wire-retainer in the form of a pin39 extends the same being normally held by a spring 40 across t-he mouthof the slot 3, to hold the wire from uncoiling. Then the pins are freeto respond to their springs their inner ends are outside the tire 35ready to be engaged successively by a cam-face 41 on the shoe 31. Saidcam-face 41 receives the inner ends of the pins 39 successively as thereel rotates, and each pin will slide outward as it moves along the shoeuntil the perforation 32 of the shoe 31 is passed.

The shoe 30 has a cam-face 42 complementary to the cam-face 41 arrangedin the path of the outer end of the pin 39 so that as the pin movesaround with its spoke it passes between the cam-face and at first slidesoutward on the cam-face 41 until the pin passes the perforation 32,whereupon the pin slides along the cam-face 42, and is thus forced backacross the slot. Thus the pin is positively operated out and in to openand close the mouth of the slot 3, thus to allow the pin to pass by theout-going wireV as the wheel rotates, and to immediately intercept thesucceeding coil.

It is necessary that the guide 22 be securely held from buckling betweenthe conduit and the shoe, and for this purpose means are provided forclamping the guide in the end of the conduit. This is done by means oftwo levers 43, 44, pivoted by bolts 45, 46, to two jaws 47, 48, havingconcave faces 49, 50, that fit upon the guide, the free ends of thelevers being provided with roughened faces 51, 52, to engage the insidewalls of the conduit 23 into which they may be inserted after the blockshave been engaged with the guide 22.

The long ends of the levers 43, 44, are connected to the clamp frame 53,inside which they are pivotally mounted, one of said jaws being carriedby a screw 54 having a handle 55 by which it may be turned, thus toforce the long ends of the levers toward each other and the engagingfaces 51, 52, outward to forcibly grip the conduit 23 by means of thefaces 51 and 52, and also to grip the guide 22 by means of the blocks47, is

The reel is operable by any suitable means for applying power thereto.Such means may be the cranks 56, 57, the shaft 53, 59 of which aremounted in bearings 60 and 61. On said shafts are mounted pinions 62,63, which drive the spur-gears 64 and 65 that are fixed to the shaft 4of the reel.

The frame mounted by the pins is connected with an axle 66 and a loop 67which is fastened to said axle at 68, 69; said axle and loop beingfastened to the frame by loop-bolts 70. On the ends of the axle are twosupporting wheels 71 and 72 which are of such diameter relative to thelength of the legs 11 that when the apparatus is standing upon its legs,as shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the wheels are free from theground. Said axle and loop are fastened to the outer side of one of thebents of the frame, so that when the frame is tilted toward the side onwhich the axle is mounted the wheels 71 and 72 will reach the ground andsupport the frame from the ground, thus allowing the frame with the reelthereon to be trundled as a barrow.

The knob 25 is perforated to receive the end of the threading-wire 21,and is also provided with a threaded seat for a screw 73 which enters arecess 74 in the end of the threading-wire 21, so that the knob 25 isdetachably fixed on the end of the wire 21 and affords a purchase forthe fasteningwire, not shown, that may be wrapped around thethreading-wire 21 to draw the cable or other device through the conduit23. Each slotted spoke is preferably formed of two portions,the body aand the bracket Z) the bracket being provided with a slot 3 and beingsecured to the spoke-body a by cap-screws 75, 76. In one of thebracketpieces is provided a perforation 77 to receive the inner end ofthe coil, and a setscrew'is screwed through a threaded hole 7 3 in thebracket b to jam against the side of the wire 21 to hold the sametightly and prevent the coil from slipping around the reel. The walls ofthe slot 3 hold the threading-wire in a fiat coil so that there is nodanger of the coil becoming tangled. The slanting perforation 32 in theshoe forms the upper portion of a guide, the lower portion 22 of whichguide is the flexible hose.

In practical operation the device may be brought into the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1, and by means of the looplike handle 67,trundled to the man-hole 79, and there the frame will be turned by thehandle 67 to bring the legs 11, 12, 13, 14 onto the ground and theground-wheels 71, 72, free from the ground. Then the guide-hose 22 atthe end thereof will be inserted into the man-hole, the threading-wire21 being at the inserted end of the hose. Then the crank ofthe screw 55will be turned to force the engaging faces 51, 52 against the insidewalls of the conduit, thus to secure the hose. Then the workman willturn the powercranks 56, 57, in the direction indicated by the longarrow above the reel in FigY 2, thereby forcing the threading-wire 21through the guide and into the conduit. As each spoke approaches theperforation 32 in the shoe 3l, the pin 39" comes between the cam-facesLil and 4t2, and as the spoke advances to the slanting perforation 32the pin 3S) is forced by the camface 4l out of the way of the wire, sothatthe outer limb of the wire held by the shoe is allowed to escapefrom that spoke, and as the spoke advances beyond the shoe the spring40` returns the pin across the end of the slot where it remains ready tobe engaged by the cam-face Lll when it iagain reached. For positiveaction the cani-face 42 is arranged to force the pin into its closedposition, although the spring will normally do this work. i'

I claim i l. A conduit-threading machine compris ing a frame, areelthereon, a wire coiled on the reel, the inner end thereof being fastenedto the reel, and means to releasably` hold the wire from uncoiling. r

2. A conduit-threading machine comprising a frame, a reel thereon, awire coiled on the reel, the inner end thereof being fastened to thereel, means to releasably hold the wire from uncoiling, and automatic`means for releasing the wire as the reel is rotated.

`3. The combination of a frame, a reel thereon provided with means tohold a coil of wire, a wire coiled on the reel in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the reel, means arranged at intervals around thereel Vto hold the Wire from uncoiling, and means to release the outerlimb of the wire to allow the same to be fed from the reel as the reelis rotated.

4:. The combination of a frame, a reel mounted on the frame and havingslotted spokes the slots of which extend in a common plane at rightangles to the axis of the reel, a wire coiled in said reel the inner endof the wire being fastened to the reel, and means at the ends of thespokes to releasably hold the wire on the reel,

5. The combination of a frame provided with a guide, a reel mounted onthe frame and having slotted spokes the slots of which extend in acommon plane at right angles to the axis of the reel, a wire coiled inthe slots, the inner end of the wire being fastened to the reel and thediameter of the wire being approximately equal to the width of the slot,means on the spokes to hold the wire in the slots, a guide to feed thewire from the'reel, and means at the guide to move thev position, aguide on the frame, and means at the guide to withdraw the pins fromwire- Y' holding' position as their respectivespokes Vpass the guide,thus to allow the wire to be fed through the guide.

7. A conduit-threading device comprising a frame, an axle mounted on theframe,

'Ywheels on the axle, said frame being pro vided with legs of greaterlength than the radii of the wheels so that the frame may be stood uponits legs with the wheels free from the ground and may also be carried bythe wheels with the legs free from the ground, a reel mounted on theframe, the axis of the reel being at right angles to the axle of thewheels, a coil ofwire on the reel, means to hold the coil flat, means atintervals aroundfthe reel to hold the wire from uncoiling, and means onthe frame under the reel to release the wire-holding means to allow thewire to be fed downward from the reel as the reel is rotated.

8. A conduit-threading device comprising a frame, an axle screwed `tothe frame, wheels on the axle, said frame being provided with'le'gsextending beyond the rims of the wheels to support the frame when thewheels are free from the ground, a reel mounted on the frame at one sideof the axle, the axis ofthe reel being at right angles to the axle, aguide cn the frame, a coil of wire on the reel, means to hold the coilflat, means to prevent the wire from uncoiling, and means on the framebelow the reel when the frame is standing upon its legs to release thewire at the guide. Y

9. A conduitthreading device comprising a frame, a reel mounted on theframe, a wire coiled on the reel, means to prevent the coil fromslipping around the reel, means to hold the coil flat in a plane atright angles to the axis of the reel, and means on the frame to rotatethe reel.

l0. The combination with a reel having slotted spokes, of a flat coil ofwire in the slots, means to hold the coil from slipping aroundY thereel, pins at the ends of the slots and springs to hold the pinsnormally across the slots.

l1. The combination with a reel having slotted spokes, of a flat coil ofwire in the slots, means to hold the coil from slipping around the reel,pins at the ends of the slots, springs to hold the pins normally acrossthe slots and means to move the pins successively from the slots as thereel rotates.

12. The combination With a frame of a reel having slotted spokes, a flatcoil of Wire in the slots at right angles to the axis of the reel,spring to hold the pins across the slots, a frame on which the reel ismounted to rotate, a guide through which the outer end of the Wireextends and means at the guide to move the pins from the slot-s as thepins pass the guide.

13. The combination of a frame, means to support the frame, a reelmounted on the frame, gearing mounted on the frame on opposite sides ofthe reel, cranks to operate the gearing, the reel being connected withand rotatable by the gearing, a flat coil of Wire fastened on the reel,means to prevent the Wire from uncoiling and means under the reel torelease the Wire and to direct it from the reel as the reel is rotated.

14. A conduit threading device comprising a reel, a coil of Wirefastened to the reel, means to hold the coil fiat, means to hold theWire from uncoiling, means to feed the coil from the reel, a guide toconduct the Wire to the conduit and means to fasten said guide to theconduit.

115'. rIhe combination of a frame, a reel mounted thereon and providedvwith slotted spokes, the slots thereof extending in a common plane atright angles to the axis of the reel, the spokes being provided withprojections at the ends of the slots; pins in said projections to closethe slots, springs to hold the pins in slot-closing position, a Wirecoiled in the slots, a stationary guide to receive the wire, and camfaces adjacent the guide to engage the ends of the pin to remove thepins in succession from across their slots respectively as the spokepasses the guide.

16. rfhe combination of a frame; a reel mounted thereon and providedwith slotted spokes, the slots thereof extending in a common plane atright angles to the axis of the reel, and said spokes being providedwith projections at the ends of the slots; pins in said projections toclose the slots, springs to hold the pins in slotclosing position, aWire coiled in the slots, a shoe forming a stationary guide to receivethe Wire, cam faces adjacent the guide to engage the ends of the pin toremove the pins in succession from across their slots respectively asthe spokes pass the guide, said shoe being provided adjacent the guidewith a Way, and a tire connecting the spokes and movable in said Way.

17. A conduit threading device compris ing a reel having a narrow slot,a wire approximately fitting the slot and coiled therein in a fiat coil,means to hold the coil from uncoiling, a guide to direct the Wire into aconduit, and means for rotating the coil to force the Wire through theguide into the conduit.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 10th day of April, 1909.

FRANK CRAIVFORD.

In presence of- JAMEs R. TowNsEND, L. BELLE RICE.

